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Andragogy
Andragogy, which is both a method and practice of
instructing adult students, is a term that was popularized in the 1960s by
Malcolm Knowles (Fox, 2020).
Knowle’s 6 Assumptions of Adult Learning
1.
Need to Know – It is important for adults to
understand why they are learning what they are learning and how it will benefit
them (Fox, 2020).
2.
Self-concept — people will learn more
effectively if they are able to work independently, and you should foster an environment
in which learning is collaborative and self-directed while yet providing some
form of direction (Fox, 2020).
3.
Learner Experience, which refers to having a
larger pool of life experiences from which to draw, influences the learner's
motivations, needs, interests, and aspirations. It is essential to assist
students in determining their own learning goals and to provide chances for
self-reflection (Fox, 2020).
4.
Readiness to Learn – Since it is the goal of
adult learners to be able to apply what they have learned to actual life
circumstances, courses should include activities and projects that encourage
adult learners to conduct independent research and exploration of the subject
matter that will provide them with first-hand experience (Fox, 2020).
5.
Orientation to Learning: focusing on the task at
hand as well as the problem at hand, and asking how doing so can assist me in
resolving the issues. Adult students need to be able to see how the material
they are learning applies to their everyday lives. Learning can be accomplished
through a variety of activities such as case studies, role acting, and
self-evaluation (Fox, 2020).
6.
Motivation for Learning - Adults must look
within themselves to find the motivation to learn; they must have a valid
purpose for participating in each activity and must be aware of the abilities
they will acquire as a result of accomplishing the task at hand. Relevance is
crucial (Fox, 2020).
Improving Andragogy of Educational Technology Training for Adult Learning
We should keep Knowle's six assumptions in mind when
organizing professional development (PD) or training in educational technology
for adult learners.
Additionally, high quality professional development should
include:
1.
Active learning – Before implementing new
technologies in the classroom, teachers should have ample opportunity to gain
practical experience with those tools (Martin et al., 2010).
2.
Coherence - The training that teachers receive
ought to strive for coherence between the views and knowledge of the teachers
and the learning that takes place (Martin et al., 2010).
3.
Duration - The time allotted for professional
development in educational technology ought to be extended beyond a single day.
Yoon et al. (2007) discovered that programs requiring a minimum of 14 hours of
PD led to good and significant benefits on student achievement.
4.
Collective Participation - Administration's
decision to divide grade levels throughout professional development was always
a turn-off for me. Making a group of teachers from the same grade level and
having them all work with the same educational specialist for at least a year
makes more sense (Martin et al., 2010).
5.
Technology support – Professional development
facilitators should offer instructors continuous, site-based technical help and
feedback for two years as they incorporate these technologies into their lesson
plans and classrooms (Martin et al., 2010). Simply exposing teachers to new
technology without providing support will not be sufficient.
6.
Implementing a New Strategy - Professional
development should not be content-focused; rather, it should be planned with
proximity to practice. This means that the primary emphasis of the training
should be on assisting educators in directly applying new pedagogy and
technological advancements in the classroom (Martin et al., 2010).
7.
Clear vision - Training should aid educators in
their understanding of how technology might relate to academic standards and
how it offers a strong teaching strategy. Educational technology should have a
clear vision for student achievement (Martin et al., 2010).
Resources
Fox, P. (2020,
July 22). Adult learning theory: Knowles' 6 assumptions of Adult Learners.
YouTube. Retrieved August 3, 2022, from https://youtu.be/SArAggTULLU
Martin, W.,
Strother, S., Beglau, M., Bates, L., Reitzes, T., & McMillan Culp, K.
(2010). Connecting Instructional Technology Professional Development to teacher
and student outcomes. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 43(1),
53–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2010.10782561
Yoon, K. S.,
Duncan, T., Lee, S. W.-Y., Scarloss, B., & Shapley, K. L. (2007). Reviewing
the
evidence on how
teacher professional development affects student achievement
(Issues and
Answers Report, REL
2007 No. 033). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education,
Institute of
Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional
Assistance,
Regional Education Laboratory Southwest
